Enantiomeric access to pentatomic biaryls is challenging due to their relatively low rotational barrier. Reported herein is the mild and highly enantioselective synthesis of 2,3′-biindolyls via underexplored integration of C−H activation and alkyne cyclization using a unified chiral Rh(III) catalyst. The reaction proceeded via initial C−H activation followed by alkyne cyclization. A chiral rhodacyclic intermediate has been isolated from stoichiometric C−H activation, which offers direct mechanistic insight.

Cascade reactions initiated by radical addition to alkynes are synthetically very attractive because they enable access to highly complex molecular skeletons in only few synthetic steps under usually mild conditions. Here we report a general radical cascade reaction of alkynes, N-fluoroarylsulfonimides and alcohols, enabling the efficient synthesis of important α-amino-α-aryl ketones from readily available starting materials via a single operation. During this process, the highly regioselective nitrogen-centred radical addition to internal and terminal alkynes generating vinyl radicals and the next explicit migration of aryl group from the nitrogen source lead the following efficient desulfonylation, oxygenation, and semi-pinacol rearrangement. In addition, the semi-pinacol rearrangement precursors, α-alkyloxyl-α,α-diaryl imines, could also be efficiently obtained under milder conditions. This methodology might open a new entry for designing intermolecular radical cascade reaction of alkynes.

Sulfoxonium ylides act as an efficient carbene precursor in rhodium(III)-catalyzed C-H acylmethlyation of a variety of arenes assisted by different chelating groups, and both aryl- and alkyl-substituted β-carbonyl sulfoxonium ylides are applicable. The system proceeded under redox-neutral conditions with a broad scope, high efficiency, and functional group tolerance.

Chemodivergent and redox-neutral annulations between N-methoxybenzamides and sulfoxonium ylides have been realized via Rh(iii)-catalyzed C-H activation. The sulfoxonium ylide acts as a carbene precursor, and coupling occurs under acid-controlled conditions, where Zn(OTf) and PivOH promote chemodivergent cyclizations.